The 9/11 ceremony in Saugerties honored the many services – firefighters, ambulance corps, emergency medical technicians and police who braved the fires, chemicals and smoke to rescue as many people as possible. Several hundred members of the police and fire departments from the town and village turned out, along with more than 50 spectators at the monument in the Cantine Veterans Memorial Complex.
Olive Day, which takes place 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, September 8, in Davis Park, just off Route 28A at Watson Hollow Road, in West Shokan, started off as a political party fundraiser. But as the rest of the nation has turned more partisan, Olive Day’s become increasingly bipartisan, ecumenical almost, in its self-consciously old-style celebration of country living and lifestyles, and accompanying heartfelt display of a community’s love for itself and its uniqueness.
The Highland hamlet will be transformed into an Italian street festival on Saturday, September 8 from 2 to 8 p.m., as the Highland Business Association hosts its second annual Night in Little Italy.
“It’s a nice old-fashioned way of having a community come together,” says Cindy Dates.
On September 15, the New Paltz Climate Action Coalition and New Paltz Climate Smart will celebrate National Drive Electric Week with a parade of pedestrians, bicycles, electric vehicles and e-bikes.
Despite heavy rains and wind, some 3,000 people attended the second annual Hope Rocks Festival, Aug. 18-19 at the Cantine Veteran’s Memorial Complex, doubling last year’s inaugural 2017 Hope Rocks Festival attendance. Hope Rocks Festival annually offers a weekend of hope to those suffering with addiction, depression and suicide.
Megan Napoli is a research ecologist at the Mohonk Preserve.
Local vocalists perform and see the sights.
It’s that time once again when Woodstockers honor the legions of volunteers with a day of food and music, then a presentation of the Alf Evers Award at 8 p.m. and capping it all off with a the Woodstock Fire Departments phenomenal annual fireworks show at around 9 p.m. when the sun has departed for the day.
August 19-20: Elementary school teacher Joseph Defino founded Hope Rocks to combat addiction and its associated despair after 13 of his former students died in a space of four years. More than 30 live musical acts are scheduled.